It is common in the art for a local computer to contain a software application or module which analyzes data located on a remote system. The data is usually very large, on the order of several gigabytes, possibly even several terabytes. Some databases are larger still. The prior art method for analyzing the remote data is to copy the data from the remote location to the local machine for processing by the module. The module then executes and generates some type of output such as a spreadsheet or a report. The data is then deleted from the local system and the user views the output. FIG. 1 is an illustration of the prior art method of analyzing data at a remote location.
Unfortunately, the development of storage capacity has outpaced the development of transmission capacity in recent years. In other words, as the technology in both fields has progressed, it has taken longer for the data to be transmitted from the remote machine to the local machine for analysis. The phenomenon has forced companies to develop various methods for analyzing data at the remote location as opposed to the local machine. U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,204 entitled “System and Method for Accessing Remote Files in a Distributed Networking Environment” discloses a method of accessing remote files by labeling each file with a synchronization mode based on the characteristics of the file. The synchronization modes are then assigned to one of two nodes. The local machine accesses the remote files using the two nodes and the transmission rate between the remote machine and the local machine is increased as compared to more traditional means of file transfer. What is needed beyond the '204 patent is a more efficient method of analyzing data at a remote site.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,115,747 entitled “Computer Network Interface That Merges Remote Data Received From Other Computers With Local Data Before Transmitting the Merged Data to a Network” discloses a method of combining data packets from a first computer with data packets from a second computer and transmitting the combined data packets to a third computer. What is needed beyond the '747 patent is a more efficient method of analyzing data at a remote site.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,738 entitled “Data Acquisition System Which Includes Remote Access to Data Acquisition Devices” discloses a method of accessing files on a remote machine utilizing a data acquisition program. The data acquisition program queries the remote computer for the specific files. What is needed beyond the '738 patent is a more efficient method of analyzing data at a remote site.
Consequently, a need exists for a more efficient apparatus and method of analyzing data stored at a remote location. Furthermore, a need exists for an apparatus and method for processing the data that concentrates the processing at the remote location and minimizes the amount of data transmitted over the network connections. A need also exists for an apparatus and method that will accomplish these objectives while leaving the remote data in the same condition as the data was in prior to processing.